UK charity team providing aid after earthquake

Thousands of people are thought to have died across Myanmar and Thailand

A British charity has sent a team to Thailand to help with the humanitarian effort, following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday.

The group, from Wiltshire-based disaster response charity REACT, specialises in organising help for the most vulnerable.

Their skills will be put to the test helping people in Thailand, where 20 people were killed.

Attempts will also be made to work in Myanmar, where the country's ongoing civil war makes the country difficult to access.

The team will help other organisations in Thailand coordinate their approach to getting aid to those in need.

Caro O'Callaghan, from Lymington, Hampshire and Lizzy Stileman, an army veteran from Hertfordshire, arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday morning.

They are a planning and liaison team who will work to connect with local groups and international organisations while they wait for the go-ahead to move into Myanmar to provide aid.

"The big decision will be whether we can get into [Myanmar}... initially [at] Yangon and then further north to Mandalay," said Ms O'Callaghan.

If they can get into Myanmar, the plan is for two further response teams to join them.

Lizzy Stileman (left) and Caro O'Callaghan (right) are supporting humanitarian aid in Thailand

Their groundwork will mean the full response teams will already have a base and a purpose when they land.

"These are usually [response] teams of six," said Ms O'Callaghan.

"They're all on standby, packing their bags and waiting to see if things move forward."

She added: "Myanmar is a very poor country and the infrastructure is poor, so if we can provide really basic things like water, food and shelter, then we can save lives."